Dispensing and vending machine



Jan. 21, 1930. J. w. AMES DISPENSING AND VENDING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR J W 71060 ATTORNEYS Jan. 21, 1930. J. w. AMES DISPENSING AND VENDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 25, 1926 INVENTOR JFK/777w? ATTORNEYS Jan. 21, 1930. J. w. AMI-:5

DISPENSING AND VENDING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet vmy AZ/4Z7 Filed June 23, 1926 H6 .r lwl l l l lnl l lflnun A 3 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Jan. 21', 1930. J. w. AMES 1,744,603

DISPENSING AND VENDING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 a 7.9 a2 Z E I 3 m ggggpmag 11 40a, 1 a 60 4ag 20 p i: i I fif g WITNESSES INVENTOR LII 77636 v B%M% ATTORNEYS Jan. 21, 1930. J. w. AMES DISPENSING AND VENDING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet HEELER INVENTOR x] W .Ewnes.

WITNESSES J. W. AMES Jan. 21, 1930.

Filed June 25, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jan, 21, 1930 PAT *i JAIY'IES WALTER AIVIES, :5 BEAUMONT, TEXAS DISPENSING AND VENDING MACHINE Application filed June 2-3, 1826.

This invention relates in general to a dispensing and vending machine especially adapted for use in dispensing automobile fuels and lubricants such as 'gasolene, oils, or the like, and more particularly the present invention relates to an improved and novel form of valve so characterized as to be especially susceptible for organization with liquid or gasoline dispensing tanks and mechanism.

One of the principal objects of the invention resides in the provision of means of the character specified whereby a single source of supply and a single discharge line may be used in conjunction with two measuring tanks in such a manner that while one tank is being filled from the supply the other may be emptied or discharged into the automobile or receptacle provided to receive the same. In this way a single operatorcan serve twice as many customers in the same period of time as could be served with the equipment heretofore known or used.

A further object resides in the provision of a valve of the character hereinabove men tioned and which may be manually operated or which may be easily set so as to be coincontrolled whereby the gasolene or other commodities vended are available even though the proprietor or operator be absent.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination, of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view thereof in front elevation, showing a gasolene stand constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a view thereof in rear elevation,

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation looking toward the left side of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a detail view in front elevation of the valve,

Figure 5 is a view thereof in end elevation,

Figure 6 is a view in section on the line 6-6 of 1,

Serial No. 118,080.

Figure 7 is a view in section on the line 77 of Figure 6,

Figure, 8 is a detail View in plan of the coin slide of the coin-controlled mechanism.

Figure 9 is a view in section on the line 99 of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a view in section on the line 1010 of Figure 6,

Figure 11 is a similar view on the line 11-11 of Figure 6,

Figure 12 is a detail view in longitudinal sect-ion of the valve body or plug,

Figures 13, 14 and 15 are fragmentary views, partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating the action of the screw which may be employed to convert the valve from a hand operated valve to a coin-controlled valve,

Figure 16 is a detail perspective View of the operating element for the valve,

Figure 17 is a detail perspective view of the movable plate of the coin safe and the top plate of the coin slide,

Figure 18 is a diagrammatic View in perspective showing how the diiferent pipe lines are connected to the valve,

Figure 19 is a view in elevation showing a modified form of valve,

Figure 20 is a view thereof in longitudinal section on the line 2020 of Figure 10,

Figure 21 is a view in transverse section on the line 2121 of Fig. 20, and

Figure 22 is aview in transverse section on the line 2222 of Figure 20.

Figures 23 and 24; are fragmentary detail views in end and side elevation, respectively, and illustrating the chain and sprocket mechanism which may be employed for the purpose of vending various commodities in conjunction with the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 19 to 22, respectively.

Referring to the drawings, and especially to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral 1 designates generally a stand on which two measuring tanks, designated at 2 and 3, are mounted, the measuring tanks being of the visible type and the amount measured therein being determined by setting the overflow pipes 4 in the usual way. The ordinary means employed for shifting the overflow pipes 4: is mounted in and controlled from within the casings 5 which have doors 6 which may be locked, as at 7, if it is desired to prevent the overflow pipes from being shifted. The overflow pipes 4 have their lower ends telescoping in pipes 8 and 9 and the pipes 8 and 9 are connected by means of suitable couplings and fittings which include check valves 10 and 11 to a return pipe 12 leading back to the source of supply. A supply pipe 13 leads from the supply tank to the valve, designated generally at 14. A check valve 15 is provided in the supply pipe 13. Above the check valve 15 a by-pass 16 is provided. Lock valves or shutofi valves 17 and 18 are incorporated in the supply 13 and in the bypass 16 so that the flow through the supply line may be cut-off when the by-pass is used and flow through the by-pass may be prevented when the supply line is used. A hand pump 19 is incorporated in the by-pass. Connections or pipe lines 20 and 21 extend between the valve 14 and the tanks 2 and 3, respectively. A discharge hose or line 22 also leads from the valve 14. In many cases it will be advantageous to use a vacuum pump in place of the hand pump 19 and the suction line 23 from the vacuum pump leads to the valve 14. Air lines 24 and 25 are provided between the valve 14 and the tanks 2 and 3, respectively. A pipe line 26 leads from the valve 14 to the atmosphere.

The valve 14 may be coin-controlled or may be controlled solely and entirely by hand as will hereinafter more clearly appear and the valve is mounted on a coin safe 30 secured on the stand 1. The safe 30 has only one removable wall, designated at 31, the other walls of the safe being suitably and permanently connected to each other. The wall 31 is held in position by bolts 32, the heads of which are located within the safe, the bolts 32 coacting with ears 33 and. with the wall 31 to hold the wall 31 in position. Access to the interior of the safe is had through a door 35 hinged on the safe and held in closed position by a locking means 36.

The valve 14 has a casing 37 provided with a flange 38 which is secured on the wall 31 by means of bolts 39 and also by means of one of the bolts 32, the latter having a longer shank than the other bolts 32 so that it can extend not only through the wall or plate but also through the flange 38. The supply pipe 13 is connected to a port 40 in the casing 14 formed in a nipple 40; the discharge pipe or discharge line 22 is connected with a port 41 in a nipple 41 on the casing 14; and the pipes 20 and 21 are connected to ports 42 and 43, respectively, in nipples 42 and 43 in the valve casing. The ports 40, 41, 42 and 43 provide a set of liquid ports. The valve casing 37 also has a port 45 connected with the suction line 23; a port 46 connected with the pipe 26 leading to the atmosphere; and ports 47 and 48 connected to the air pipes 24 and 25. Ports 45, 46, 47 and 48 constitute air ports in the valve casing through which air is either drawn or admitted.

A taperedvalve plug or valve body, designated generally at 50, is provided and is rotatably fitted in the casing 37, the plug and the casing being machined so that the plug is a snug though rotative lit in the casing. At its small end the plug 50 has an externally threaded pin 51 extending axially therefrom, the pin being integral with or suitably connected to the valve body or plug. This pin 51 extends through an opening 52 provided in the end wall 37 of the valve casing 37. The portion of the pin 51 which projects beyond the wall has an adjusting nut 53 and a lock nut 54 engaged therewith. In this way the valve may be adjusted to a proper fit in the casing and held in such adjustment. A cap 55 incloses the nuts 53 and 54 to protect them and to prevent tampering with the adjustment. A coil spring 56 is interposed be tween the small end of the valve plug or body 50 and the end wall 37 a and this spring tends to prevent jamming or sticking of the valve plug or body in the casing.

The valve plug or body 50 is formed with a set of liquidports and passages cooperable with the ports 40, 41, 42 and 43 of the valve casing and aset of air passages co-operable with the ports 45, 46, 47 and 48 of the valve casing. The liquid ports or passages include a pair of ports 60 and 61 and connected by an arcuate or curved passage 62, the ports 60 and 61 being elongated and the passage 62 being similarly formed. The valve body also has liquid ports 63 and 64 connected by a curved or arcuate passage 65. The ports 63 and 64 and the passage 65 are exactly like the ports 60 and 61 and the passage 62 and are arranged opposite each other so that the ports are 90 apart and the passages are separate from each other. The valve body is cored out to lighten it, as shown in the drawings. The ports 60, 61, 63 and 64 coact with the ports 40, 41, 42 and 43 of the valve casing. The air ports of the valve body also include two pairs of ports, the members of one pair of ports being designated at 66 and 67 and being connected by a curved or arcuate passage 68 while the members or other pair of air ports are designated at 69 and 70 and are similarly connected by a curved or arcuate passage 71. The ports 66, 67, 69 and 70 and the passages 68 and 71 are preferably of circular cross section. The ports 66, 67, 69 and 7 O co-act with the ports 45, 46, 47 and 48 of the casing.

The valve 50 has a stem 75 rotatably fitted in the stufling box 76 provided in the removable plate or wall 31 of the coin safe. An operating shaft 77 is provided and is rotatably fitted in a bearing 78 formed in the safe 30. The inner end of the shaft 77 is to connect these parts. has been turned to move the valve stem rotatably fitted in a socket 79 formed in the valve stem 75. See Fig. 12.

The outer end of the shaft 77 has a hand wheel 80 fixed thereto and on the portion of the shaft adjacent the safe a pointer 81 is secured and co-acts with a dial 82 so that the position of the valve at anytime is clearly indicated.

A sleeve 83 is fixed on theshaft 77 and has a ratchet tooth 8 l co-operable with a similarly formed recess 85 in the valve stem 75 to turn the valve stem and consequently the valve in one direction from the shaft 77. A spring 86 encircles a portion of the shaft 7 7 and one end of the spring abuts a wall of the safe and the other end abuts the sleeve 83. The tendency of the spring is to urge the tooth 84 into the recess 85 and so connect the shaft to the valve.

In order to provide for coin-control of the valve so as to permit the gasoline to be dis pensed and paid for when the operator is absent, the valve stem 7 5 is formed with a transverse slot- 87 and the shaft 77 and sleeve 83 have aligned and similar slots, designated at 88 and 89, respectively. A coin slide, designated generally at 90, is provided, and is held to the underside of a carrier plate '91 integral with the end wall 31 of the safe by means of screws 92. The coin slides are removable and interchangeable so that the machine may be adapted for use with coins of different denominations. Each coin slide 90 includes a coin way 93 having an opening 94 so that coins of smaller denominations than those intended for the operation of the machine will drop down into the safe and will not connect the shaft 77 to the valve stem 75. hen a coin of proper denomination is inserted in the coin slot 95 provided in the safe 30 it will slide down the way 93 and into the aligned slots 87, 88 and 89 of the valve stem operating shaft and sleeve and will serve After the shaft 77 through the required distance the coin will overlie an opening 96 in the coin slide and will drop therethrough down into the safe. When the valve is to be coin-controlled it is proposed to limit the valve and its operating shaft to back and forth turning movement through an angular interval of 90. The valve may be turned forward to fill the measuring tank to the predetermined degree from the hand wheel 80 and by virtue of the engagement of the ratchet tooth 84 with the recess 85, but the forward turning movement, when the valve is coin-controlled is limited by means of a screw 97 mounted on the carrier plate 91 and having its inner extremity 98 adapted to be positioned in a peripheral slot 99 in the sleeve 83. The slot 99 has an angular extent of 90 and when the screw 97 is turned to position its end in the slot 99 the sleeve 83 and consequently the shaft 77 andvalve 50 may be 'turned baok and forth through an angular interval of 90 only. l he slot 99 is of suflicient width to permit the ratchet tooth 84 to play idly back around the end of the valve stem if the 'coin is not inserted.

For the purpose of preventing manipulation of the va-lve' for fraudulent purposes and in order 'to insure the dropping of the coin through the opening '96, a pawl 100 is pivotal-ly mounted, as at 101, on the carrier plate 91 and operates through a suitable opening formed therein, the pawl "having inclined teeth E02 successively engageable with the coin'to prevent the saine from being turned in any except one direction. After the coin has passedthrough the tooth 102 nearest the pivot 101 it'is aligned with theopeningi99 and the pawl drops on the coin with a hammer blow to knock it down through the 'opening 96.

In operation, when the device is usedraszan ordinary hand controlled gasolene dispensing means,the screw 97 is positionecLIas shownin Fig. 13, and is notengageable with the end walls of the slot 99. Under such conditions the hand wheel 80 is successively turned a quarter of a turn forwardly or in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, in order "to effect the successive operations necessary to the dispensing of the gasolene. When the valve is in one position, it permits the filling of one measuring tank and the =dischargin'g of the other measuring tank. In the position shown in Figs. 10 and 11-, the ltank2 is discharging through the pipe Eline 20, port 42, port 60, passage 62, port 61, port 41 and discharge line 22, and at the sam'e'time'the tank 3 is being filled, provided :the vacuum pump is turned on,' 'by virtue of the suction exerted through the suction line 23, port 45, port 69, passage 71,port 70, port 48 and pip'el25. The vacuum exerted in this way in the measuring tank 3 draws the liquid in through the pipe 21, port 43, port- 64, passage 65, port'63, port l0 andsupply pipe 13. WVh'enthe valve plug "50 is shifted through a quarter of a turn, the action is reversed in that the gasolene in the measuring tank 3 is discharged while gasolene is being drawn up into the measuring tank 2.

When itiis desired to have the valve coincontrolled it is merely necessary to unlock the door '35 and turn the screw 97 until its inner end 98 is located in the slot'99 and to lock either the valve 20 or the va'lve21 provided in the pipes 20 and 21.

The modified form of valve shown in Figures 19 to 22, inclusive, is especially adapted for use in the handling and dispensingof different grades of oil. This'form of valve makes it possible to handle any one of several difierent grades of oil through the same valve, each grade of Oll bemg-conveyed directly toand measured 1n one measuring ago t-ank and after measurement the oil being passed back through the valve and through the delivery port or discharge spout to the container. Of course, with this arrangement there is a slight admixture of the different grades of oil but this is so slight that it would not affect the quality of the oil. In the form of valve shown in Figures 19 to 22 there is provided a casing 125 to which eight supply lines 126 areconnected. A plug 127 is fitted in the valve and has a central passage 128, four diametrical passages 129 adapted to be selectively registered with the supply lines and a fifth diametrical passage 130 located at right angles to the passages 129 and registrable with the supply and discharge ports 131 and 132. lVith this arrangement the chain and sprocket mechanism, designated at 135, may be employed, as shown in Figs. 23 and 24:, for the purpose of vending various commodities.

I claim:

1. The combination of a valve having ports and passages, manually operable means for turning said valve including a valve stem connected with the valve and an operating shaft, a coin safe in which said operating shaft and valve stem are mounted, a one-way connection between said shaft and stem for operating the valve through all its phases when the valve is to be manually operated, said valve and stem having complementary slots adapted to receive a coin, means for limiting the angular movement of the shaft when the valve is to be coin operated, and a coin slide carried by the coin safe and leading to the coin slot.

2. The combination with a valve having ports and passages, manually operable means for turning said valve including a valve stem connected with the valve, an operating shaft, a coin safe in which the operating shaft and valve stem are mounted, a one-way connection between the shaft and the stem for op erating the valve through all its phases when the valve is to be manually operated, said valve and stem having complementary slots adapted to receive a coin, means for limiting the angular movement of the shaft when the valve is to be coin operated, a coin slide carried by the coin safe and leading to the coin slot, and a pawl having teeth engageable with the coin for preventingreversing movement of the same, said pawl being adapted to deliver a hammer blow to the coin to cause it to drop into the safe after the valve has been turned a predetermined extent.

3. The combination with avalve having a stem; of a coin safe on which the valve is mounted, said valve stem extending into the coin safe, an operating shaft mounted on the coin safe, a ratchet connection between the shaft and the stem, spring means for maintaining the ratchet connection between the shaftand the stem, said shaft and stem being provided with a coin slot, whereby they may be turned independently of the ratchet connection, and means for limiting the turning movement of the shaft and comprising an ad justable element, the shaft having a slot into which the element may be inserted.

4. In combination with a valve, having a stem connected therewith, an operating shaft associated with the stem, a one-way connection between the shaft and the stem whereby the stem and valve may be turned in one direction from the shaft, said stem and shaft having aligned coin slots adapted to receive a coin whereby the valve may be reversely rotated, and means for limiting the rotation of the shaft, said means being adjustable so that it may be made operative or inoperative at will.

5. The combination with a pair of measuring tanks; of a valve having ports and passages, manually operable means for turning said valve including a valve stem connected with the valve, an operating shaft, a oneway connection between the shaft and the stem for operating the valve through all its phases when the valve is to be manually operated, coin-controlled means governing the action of the valve and including complementary coin slots in the shaft and stem, and means for limiting the turning movement of the shaft.

JAMES WALTER AMES. 

